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Home » Latest Blog Posts » Plant care 101 » Troubleshooting

Why is my pothos leggy & how to fix it!

Published: Dec 20, 2022 · Modified: Mar 2, 2023 by Morgan · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Wondering why your pothos is not looking luch? Here's why you have a leggy Pothos and how to fix it!

Pothos are beautiful trailing plants with big, glossy leaves.

So, if your pothos is growing - with no leaves - it can be disappointing. The naked branch is probably not the look you were going for!

But, if you take the time to figure out the cause of your problem, it's easy to fix your leggy pothos!

why is my pothos so leggy

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Printable Pothos Plant Care Guide

Join the (free!) KeepYourPlantsAlive+ community to access this exclusive printable plant care guide! Or keep scrolling for more!

Pothos plant care guide

What does it mean for a plant to be leggy?

A leggy plant is a plant that is either very tall or has very long stems or branches without leaves. Often there will be a long section of stem that only has leaves on the end of it.

long stretch of pothos branch without leaves
long stretch of pothos branch without leaves

Why is my pothos leggy?

There are two causes of leggy plants. First of all, if something caused the leaves to fall off your plant, it will have a bare branch with new growth at the end. This could have been caused by poor lighting, improper watering, or pests on your pothos.

On the other hand, it could be that your pothos never grew leaves and just has long stems that never had leaves. This is usually caused by the plant going long periods of time with insufficient light. The plant will grow longer but not put out leaves - or put out very small leaves only.

long sectionof pothos branch without leaves

How do you fix a leggy pothos plant?

Your best bet for fixing a leggy pothos plant is to cut the leggy branch off. I know, I know - it's painful!

But, you can put the leggy cutting in water to propagate and the plant will grow new stem - with leaves - where you cut it.

satin pothos cuttings in a glass vase

Keep in mind - you will need to fix the issue that caused your pothos to lose it's leaves or not grow leaves to begin with.

This could mean moving it to a brighter spot, watering it more often, or getting it away from a vent blowing very hot or cold air.

Once your pothos it happy, it should grow leafy new growth!

Any more questions about your leggy pothos?!

Thanks for reading!

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Morgan

Hey there, I'm Morgan, a houseplant enthusiast from sunny Charleston, South Carolina. Growing up surrounded by my mom's lush orchids and African violets, I discovered the magic of bringing nature indoors. Thanks to the pandemic, I delved deeper into houseplants, discovering their power to uplift moods and transform spaces. I'm here to spill all my secrets, helping you pick the perfect houseplant - and make it happy. Let's keep your plants alive, together! 😊

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Welcome!

Thank you for joining me on my plant-filled adventure here in Charleston, South Carolina! I'm obsessed with my houseplants and keeping my garden green. I want to teach you my secrets and empower you to keep your plants alive, happy, and healthy.

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